Human Intelligence
What it is,
What it isn’t
&
How we try to measure it
EDUS 220 Learning Psychology
Spring 2011
The Usual Disclaimer
After viewing this presentation do not attempt to operate
motorized equipment.
Not to be taken internally
Avoid prolonged contact with the skin
The following material portrays scenes which some viewers
may find disturbing…parental discretion is advised.
A great deal of information will be presented, so we’ll move
fast and take no prisoners….but if you have a question,
by all means, ask it!!
Objectives
As the result of wasting another 3 hours in this
alleged class, you should be able to:
• Describe the concept of Human Intelligence
• Identify factors which influence intellectual
development
• Become familiar with mechanisms for assessing
intelligence
• Discriminate between IQ and DIQ
• Recall the labels used to refer to levels of
developmental disability (MR)
• Describe at least one method for killing an emu.
What is Intelligence??
Now is time for the obligatory
“Group Activity”
Your Task
• Form into groups of between 2 and 24
•Think of an individual whom you admire as being “bright”…You might have
to think back a few years on this one…..
•Generate a list of specific behaviors, qualities, characteristics that individual
demonstrated that led you to believe she/he was bright……
The concept of
Intelligence
The concept of
Intelligence
The
capacity
for
abstract
thought
The concept of
Intelligence
The capacity for
understanding
The concept of Intelligence
The capacity for communication
The concept of Intelligence
The capacity for reasoning,
The concept of Intelligence
The capacity for learning
The concept of Intelligence
The capacity for planning,
The concept of Intelligence
The capacity for problem solving.
Intelligence Defined
from “Mainstream Science on Intelligence" (1994), an
editorial statement by fifty-two researchers: A very
general mental capability that, among other things,
involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems,
think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn
quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely book
learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts.
Rather, it reflects a broader and deeper capability for
comprehending our surroundings—"catching on,"
"making sense" of things, or "figuring out" what to do.
Gottfredson, L.S. (1997). Forward to “intelligence and social policy” (pdf). Intelligence 24 (1): 1–12.
Intelligence Defined
Alfred Binet: Judgment,
otherwise called
"good sense," "practical sense,"
"initiative," the faculty of adapting
one's self to circumstances
Binet, A. (1905). The development of intelligence in children: The Binet-Simon Scale. E.S. Kite (Trans.). Baltimore: Williams
& Wilkins.
Intelligence Defined
David Wechsler: The
aggregate or global
capacity of the individual to act
purposefully, to think rationally, and
to deal effectively with his
environment.
Wechsler, D. (1944). The measurement of adult intelligence. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins
Intelligence Defined
Howard Gardner: To my mind, a human intellectual
competence must entail a set of skills of problem
solving
— enabling the individual to resolve genuine problems or
difficulties that he or she encounters and, when
appropriate, to create an effective product
— and must also entail the potential for finding or creating
problems
— and thereby laying the groundwork for the acquisition
of new knowledge.
Gardner, H. (1993). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books. 1993.
Intelligence Defined
Sternberg and Salter: Goal-directed
adaptive
behavior.
Sternberg, R.J. & Salter, W. (1982). Handbook of human intelligence. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University
Press.
A brief
history
lesson
The Imperial Examination
A history of “ability” testing that lasted
1300 years.
Established : CE 605 Sui Dynasty
Purpose: To select the best qualified
government officials regardless of
family or political background.
Abolished 1905 Qing Dynasty
It was Sir Francis Galton who
argued that tests of sensory
discrimination could serve as
a means of gauging an
individual’s intellect.
1822-1911
“The only information that reaches us
concerning the outward events appears to
pass through the avenue of our senses; and
the more perceptive the senses are of
difference, the larger is the field upon which
our judgment and intelligence can act”,
(Galton, 1888)
Galton developed non-verbal tests that were measures
of sensory-motor sensitivity and speed and these were
widely used as measures of “intellect” until it was
discovered that such tests had no relationship to
outcomes such as college performance.
Kaufman, 2009
James McKeen Cattell
While studying for his doctorate at Leipzig University
under the direction of Wilhelm Wundt he completed his
doctoral dissertation on differences in reaction times. In
1888 and while lecturing at Cambridge University he
became aware of the work of Galton and the ideas of
individual differences and Intellect became merged.
In 1890 the term “Mental Test” was used for the first time
but such tests were primarily measures of physiological
responses:
•Muscular strength
Speed of movement
•Sensitivity to pain
Reaction time
•Memory
Ad.infinitum…..
1860-1944
Trivia Note: It was through this work that the concept of “subliminal
perception” came into being….from the German word “Limen” meaning
limit or threshold.
Alfred Binet
•These two tried for years to
associate “intelligence” with such
things as cranial, facial, and hand
configurations…and even
handwriting analysis. Their results
were (and this is not going to
surprise you) not too promising
and gave rise to the idea that the
direct, even though crude,
measurement of complex
intellectual functions offered the
greatest promise.
1857-1911
Theodore Simon
1873-1961
Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon
In 1904 the Minister of Public Instruction commissioned the two of
them to study the procedures for educating retarded children.
This prompted the study of the differences between successful and
unsuccessful students….an early kind of “Academic aptitude test”
was developed and became the 1905 Binet-Simon Scale. Quite
literally the instrument was used to predict success in school….Now
we’re on to something!! And for the first time the idea of “mental
level” was proposed…..
In 1915 the test was
translated into English at
Stanford University and for
decades it was the standard
for IQ tests in American…the
Stanford-Binet Test of
Intellectual Development
L.M. Terman
• Author of the American version of the
Binet Scales and since the work was done
at Stanford University in 1915…well, you
know…we have the Stanford-Binet.
• It was this version that introduced the
concepts of mental age, chronological
age, and the term Intelligence Quotient
(IQ) for the very first time…..
The Intelligence Quotient
First of all, for you non-math majors, a
quotient is simply the result of division…
12 / 3 = 4
This is a quotient!
The learning Curve
Intellectual Development: # of questions
correctly answered.
As individuals
grow older they
can answer
more questions
correctly……
The Intelligence Quotient
Let’s assume an IQ test is given to groups of
children at different ages. As children grow
they acquire more information and
knowledge and so the average score for
these groups increases with age….
Age Groups Age 7 Age 8 Age 9 Age 10 Age11
Ave Score
22
24
27
30
34
The Intelligence Quotient
The Intelligence Quotient is computed by
dividing the mental age (MA) of an
individual by his or her chronological age
(CA)….the multiplying to get rid of those
decimals…..
(MA/CA) * 100 = Intelligence quotient
The Intelligence Quotient
Age Groups Age 7 Age 8 Age 9 Age 10 Age11
Ave Score
22
24
27
30
34
If a child scored 27 correct on the test….he would
have scored as many as the “Average” 9 year old so
his mental age (MA) would be 9.
If the child who scored 27 was, in fact, 9 years old
(chronological age, CA) then this would happen.
(MA/CA) * 100 = (9/9) * 100 = 100
Perfectly average intelligence
The Intelligence Quotient
Age Groups Age 7 Age 8 Age 9 Age 10 Age11
Ave Score
22
24
27
30
34
If a child scored 27 correct on the test….he would
have scored as many as the “Average” 9 year old so
his mental age (MA) would be 9.
But if the child who scored 27 was 7 years old
(chronological age, CA) then this would happen.
(MA/CA) * 100 = (9/7) * 100 = 129
Above average intelligence
The Intelligence Quotient
Age Groups Age 7 Age 8 Age 9 Age 10 Age11
Ave Score
22
24
27
30
34
If a child scored 27 correct on the test….he would
have scored as many as the “Average” 9 year old so
his mental age (MA) would be 9.
But if the child who scored 27 was 11 years old
(chronological age, CA) then this would happen.
(MA/CA) * 100 = (9/11) * 100 = 82
Below average intelligence
OK…but what is Intelligence
• A hypothetical Construct (I’ve never seen
an intelligence but I’ve witnessed
intelligent behavior.
OK…
Not this
guy!
OK…but what is Intelligence
• Generally, the ability of a person to learn
or benefit from experience.
OK…but what is Intelligence
• Academic or Scholastic Aptitude (Binet)
OK…but what is Intelligence
• The ability of a person to cope with the
demands placed on him/her by the
environment (Weschler).
OK…but what is Intelligence
• A human trait that is the result of genetic
endowment and life experience.
What about the “Nature-Nurture”
Controversy????
• What controversy???? It has not been a
controversy since the 1930’s when it was
effectively demonstrated that 60-70% of
the variance in human intelligence was
attributable to environmental influence, life
experiences, trips to the zoo….avoiding
rap music, etc…..
OK…but what is not?
•
•
•
•
Probably not a single or unitary trait.
Not a good indicator of life success.
Not a fixed and unchangeable entity.
Not easily measured across cultures.
Story time with tales of Aborigines Emus and
assorted references to cranial capacity (???)
The Weschler Scales
• Created by David Weschler during the 1940’s
• Recognizes that human intelligence is amazingly
complex and composed of many different
components which can be grouped into two
categories: Verbally mediated and Performance.
• First used the concept of Deviation IQ as a
normalized scale score (mean=100, SD=15)
• Permits the assessment of intelligence
throughout the life span….
The WISC
Verbal (VIQ)
Performance (PIQ)
1. Information
2. Picture Completion
3. Similarities
4. Picture Arrangement
5. Arithmetic
6. Block Design
7. Vocabulary
8. Object Assembly
9. Comprehension
10. Coding
11. (Digit Span)
12. (Mazes)
Scores Available:
Verbal, Performance, and Full Score DIQ’s (Mean=100, SD=15)
Subscale Scores (Mean =10, SD=3)
Common Individual Tests
• Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
• Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)
• Weschler Preschool and Primary Scale of
Intelligence (WPPSI)
• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
• Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT)
• Columbia Mental Maturity Scale
• Cattell Infant Intelligence Scale
• Porteus Maze Test
Common Group Tests
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
California Test of Mental Maturity
Cognitive Abilities Test
Culture Fair Intelligence Test
Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test
Otis-Lennon School Abilities Test
Pictorial Reasoning Test
Tests of General Ability (TOGA)
Mental Retardation Defined
Sub-average general intellectual
functioning which originates in the
developmental period and is
associated with impairment in
adaptive behavior and
functioning.
Etiology of Mental Retardation
Two General Categories of MR
Cultural/Familial: Usually associated
with mild and borderline levels.
Physiological: usually associated with
more severe forms of MR. Brain
structures and CNS are
insulted/damaged.
Mental Retardation
Classification Schemes
• Early in the last century the elements of
mental retardation were well accepted and
included
• Onset in childhood
• Significant intellectual or cognitive
limitations, and
• The inability to adapt to the demands of
everyday life.
Mental Retardation
Classification Schemes
The American Association on Mental Deficiency
committee on classification in 1910 established
the following:
• Idiot: arrested development at the level of a 2
year old.
• Imbecile: Development equal to that of a 2-7
year old
• Moron: Development equal to a 7-12 year old.
Current Mental Retardation
Classification Scheme
The DSM-IV now categorizes mental
deficiency using the following scheme.
Borderline: IQ Level 70-80
Mild MR: IQ Level 50-55 to 70
Moderate: IQ Level 35-40 to 50—55
Severe: IQ Level 20-25 to 35-40
Profound: IQ Level below 20-25
Current Mental Retardation
Classification Scheme
The American Association on Mental Retardation
now focuses on the type and intensity of support
required (DIQ less than or equal to 75 and
deficits in two adaptive behavior domains).
Intermittent
Limited
Extensive
Pervasive
Are there other kinds of IQ?
• The answer is: Probably…
• A high IQ is most associated with success
in an academic setting…that was its
original purpose…
• A high IQ and $.50 will buy you a cup of
coffee…it’s no guarantee of success in life,
marriage, or career…for that other kinds of
personality traits are probably more
important in the long run.
Emotional Intelligence
• A different way of being “Smart”….
• Empathy and other matters of the heart
make it more likely that your marriage and
career with thrive.
• An absence of those traits explains why
people with a high IQ can be such
disastrous pilots of their personal lives.
Basics of E-IQ
• Knowing your feelings and using them to make
life decisions you can live with.
• Being able to manage your emotional life without
being hijacked by it—not being paralyzed by
depression/worry, or swept away by anger.
• Empathy: being sensitive to the emotional state
of others…sensitive and compassionate.
• Handling feelings in relationships with skill and
harmony—being able to articulate the unspoken
pulse of a group, for example.
The End
(Thank goodness)
Students are STRONGLY
encouraged to read the
following material…
http://www.michna.com/iq.htm
http://www.michna.com/intelligence.htm
http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/users/reingold/courses/intelli
gence/cache/1198gottfred.html